DR. WALLACE: I'm finding the transition from high school to college quite challenging as a freshman. I've joined several clubs as I want to socialize and get to know people quickly so that I can build a sense of community. I find that I'm getting up earlier and earlier in the morning to complete various projects for various clubs before I even start my academic day.

Between the part-time job, my study obligations and time that must be spent in classrooms, I feel like I don't have an extra second to breathe! I'm normally a high-energy person, but it's amazing how fast I've reached the point of being completely exhausted, day after day. What suggestions or tidbits of advice could you give a first-time college student to manage the transition to college more successfully? — Already Exhausted, via email

ALREADY EXHAUSTED: You need to sleep more right now! Don't be getting up "earlier and earlier every morning" simply in an effort to socialize in multiple clubs all at once while you are still trying to transition to a new academic lifestyle.

There will be plenty of time to socialize over the course of a long freshman year in college. If you must remain in one single club, do that but let all of the other ones go at this point, and mention that you'd like to engage them again at some other time once your schedule allows for it. It's that simple. You need to stop trying to do everything all at once, and put your primary focus on being rested and attentive in class, studying well and being able to show up and work at your part-time job punctually and diligently.

This advice is by no means revolutionary, but it's amazing how many college students regularly overlook sufficient sleep as an important foundation to everything they want to accomplish in their lives. Learn this lesson now, early in your freshman year, and it will pay off handsomely for you throughout your college career. There's a huge correlation between getting enough rest and performing at your best, and you'll enjoy your waking hours much more by operating from a position of rested strength versus overwhelming chaos.

DON'T WANT MY REPAIR BILLS TO IMPACT MY TEENAGERS

DR. WALLACE: As a single mother raising two young teenagers, our household budget is always a concern.

The small house we live in is comfortable but unfortunately needs some repairs that I don't have a huge budget for. I'm game to try to learn how to do some home repairs myself, but I realize it will take a lot of work to figure out. My goal is to get these repairs done before the holidays, so that I don't have to cut into any of the budgets or allowances that would impact my teenagers. Am I kidding myself in thinking that I can accomplish this on my own? — Frugal Mother of Teenagers, via email

FRUGAL MOTHER OF TEENAGERS: Who says you have to do the repairs entirely on your own? In most communities, there are workshops offered on home repairs via the "big box" stores, local adult schools and even community nonprofits like Habitat for Humanity, which most people don't realize host "fix it" classes.

If you can locate some opportunities like this in your local area, you may benefit in a couple of important ways. First of all, you'll get the education you need in terms of how to approach repairs, but perhaps more importantly, you will be able to interact with others who have similar challenges in front of them. You may find another single mom, or a particularly helpful guy who's also signed up to learn how to do specific repairs.

If you make friends with an individual or two in this manner, perhaps you could agree to work together and alternate at each of your various domiciles. Imagine two people working together at your house, and you helping that individual with their home repairs as well. This would allow you a chance to socialize and even enjoy the camaraderie of working side-by-side to truly help each other out. It's worth looking into these options, in my opinion, and I wish you well should you choose to give this a try.

Either way, I admire your desire to keep your budget intact so that budget restraints don't impact your teenage children. That's truly commendable behavior on your part from my point of view.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Ephraim Mayrena at Unsplash